New Jersey Lottery officials warn that it has been half a year since a person won a $1.13 billion Mega Millions ticket by matching the numbers drawn, but the lucky person has yet to show up at an office to claim his winnings.
The New Jersey Lottery said Thursday that the jackpot winner has six months to claim his or her money since half a year has passed since the winning numbers were announced, and that deadline expires on March 26, 2025. The winning ticket was sold in Monmouth County specifically at ShopRite Liquor at 2200 Route 66 in Neptune Twp. The lottery told Eyewitness News that they do not believe the winnings have yet to be claimed.
The winning numbers were 07-11-22-29 and 38, the Golden Mega Ball number was 04, while the multiplier was 02. One woman claimed not to be the winner simply because she did not buy a ticket that day. For their part, the state lottery officials claim that it is not normal for people not to claim their money once they win a prize, especially when it is the jackpot.
They also urged the winner to contact the lottery offices as soon as possible to initiate payment or else they will lose their good share. The executive director of the New Jersey Lottery said in this regard: โIt is unusual for a player to not have collected a prize of this size and not even contact usโโฆ โSo, we just want to get the word out that a prize has not been claimed, we have not heard from the player.โ
Winners of the game are advised to seek advice before coming to the offices as the amount of money involved is very high and financial advice is often very helpful to winners in terms of how to manage their finances once they receive the money. In the event that no one comes forward to claim the money before March 26, 2025, the sum of money will be distributed among the states that play the Mega Millions, in the case of New Jersey it would be left with about $27 million.
New Jersey Lottery drawings are held in different sequences depending on the game in question. Numbers are drawn every day and in some cases twice in a single day, such as Pick-3 and Pick-4, which are played at noon and in the afternoon/evening. In the case of Pick-6, numbers are drawn on Mondays and Thursdays.
People over 18 years of age can purchase lottery tickets at any licensed lottery outlet or online. Once the draw results are confirmed, winners can claim their winnings within one year of the draw or the closing date of the game.
Mega Millions players must choose, as in other states, five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25 and increase their winnings by as much as eight times with the Multi-Draw option. Those who wish to increase their chances of winning the jackpot should add the Just the Jackpot feature, which costs three dollars more before the drawing takes place at 11:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Players can claim their winnings in several ways, depending on the amount they won. Players who win $599.50 or less can do so at any authorized New Jersey Lottery retailer. Players who win more than the stated amount will have to do so in person at the New Jersey Lottery Head Office or by email.
According to the lottery rules, the prices of scratch-off tickets range from one dollar to 30 dollars and the prizes can reach up to 3 million dollars in cash.
